Council member gets MDD board nod

Four persons were appointed to the Rockdale Municipal Development District board, including city council member Joyce Dalley, by the council during a Thursday special session.

New board candidates Dalley, Adam Straznicky and Trent Wages and holdover Bobby Pelzel were elected in separate votes.

The vote on Dalley was 2-2 with Willie Phillips making the motion to appoint her and Nathan Bland seconding.

Mayor John King called the question and Phillips and Bland voted in favor with council members Doug Calame and Colby Fisher voting against.

Rockdale mayors vote only in case of ties. King cast the deciding vote in favor of Dalley.

Dalley did not participate in the vote or discussion concerning her nomination. There are currently only five council members following the resignation of Melody Dawson last week.

ThevotesonnomineesStraznicky, Wages and Pelzel were all unanimous, 5-0.

CONTROVERSY—Thursday’s special session, and vote, followed a discussion three days previously at the regular monthly session for the council.

At that Aug. 9 meeting, King said he had placed his name in nomination, but was considering withdrawing it after Gary Griesbach, MDD board president, said he did not think every current member would remain if the mayor were appointed.

Griesbach said the MDD had contacted the council and recommended a nominee. He did not mention the name. The Reporter learned it was former council member Toby Johnson.

On Aug. 9, Calame made a motion that Johnson, Straznicky, Wages and Pelzel be appointed but it died for lack of a second.

King said Thursday he had withdrawn his nomination and Dalley had added her name.